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Kat squeezed her eyes shut, as if blocking out any visual stimulus would help her make sense of what Jo had said. “Wait—you’re getting requests for me to make appearances?”
“Hell yeah, I am. Here’s what I’m thinking. I’ll release the best engagement photos tonight and then when you’re in Colorado, you and Beckett can make a stop at this adorable little indie bookstore—The Steam Factory. You’re going to love it. You answer a few questions, sign some books, pose for some photographs, and if it goes well—which it will—then I can schedule as many more as you’d like.”
“I don’t—bookstores hardly ever carry my books,” she sputtered.
“They do now! Seriously, Kat, when was the last time you checked your sales reports? The owner of The Steam Factory said they’ve been flooded with requests for your books ever since the engagement.”
“They just want gossip about Beckett. They aren’t actually interested in what I wrote.”
“We’ve been over this. It doesn’t matter what gets them in the door. You can handle Colorado, but then I’m going to do some schedule rearranging so I can join you in Kansas. We’ll map out a whole plan—I know how much you love a plan.”
Dammit, she did love a plan.
Kat protested even as she felt the relief of knowing Jo was in her corner. “You don’t need to do that. I know you and Derek have other things to do.”
Jo scoffed. “Please, I’m not bringing him. It’ll just be a quick little girls’ trip to make sure you are fully prepared to strike while the iron is hot hot hot.” Kat grinned. “I’ll swoop in, work my magic—”
“Obviously.”
“Obviously, and then you’ll be all set for the rest of the tour. We can come up with a whole strategy in twenty-four hours. I’ll be back home with Derek before he even knows I was gone.”
“I highly doubt he won’t notice you’re gone.”
Jo sighed happily. “It’s true. The man is lost without me. But Annie will keep him busy. She’s decided there are ghosts in the basement of her school. And Derek knows how important this is for you. We both do. Organic marketing opportunities like this don’t happen every day.”
“But it’s not organic. This whole situation couldn’t be further from organic if it tried.” Kat ducked into the empty equipment storage room so no one would overhear her.
“I don’t know,” Jo said, a lilting sing-song in her voice. “Those bedroom eyes Beckett’s giving you in the photos look pretty organic to me. Certified fresh.”
Kat braced her hand against a rolling storage cart, bending forward as her stomach pitched. “I’m going to be sick.”
“This is a good thing,” Jo said gently, no sign of her earlier teasing. “The tour bonus will buy you time to write, but it won't get you exposure to sell your books. This does. And with the momentum coming off the engagement, you could ride this wave all the way into a new career as a full-time author. Isn’t that what you want?”
“It is but... I’m a bad liar, Jo. Like criminally bad.”
“Then don’t lie. You are currently engaged to Beckett Hayes. That’s a fact.”
Kat blew out a breath, steadying herself as she checked her watch. “I have to go. It’s almost time for sound check.”
“Of course. Go be the badass boss lady you are. But, Kat?”
“Yeah?”
“The way Becks is looking at you in those photos? There’s no lying about that.”
Chapter Twelve
Beckett removed his earbuds and tucked them away in the case in his pocket as he pushed through the double doors that led to the band’s green room for their last show in New Mexico. He nodded to Gideon at the door, unable to shake the sense that their head of security was still looking at him sideways.
“You’re late.” Kat stood at the end of the corridor, arms crossed, the toe of one high heel tapping impatiently against the concrete floor.
“Lost track of time.”
She narrowed her eyes. Beckett didn’t lose track of time. He was almost as regimented as she was and she knew it. But it’s not like he was going to tell her he’d been too busy thinking about the obscene moan she made when she stepped into the shower that morning to keep count while he was swimming laps. He needed those extra laps to get his hard-on under control.
She glanced at her watch, her lips pursed. “Doug is waiting in room B to stretch out your knee. I’ll have wardrobe bring your first outfit to the green room. They got you pants with a wider leg so you can wear your brace for the whole show.” She rattled items off the notes app on her phone without looking at him.
“Tell Doug I’m good.”
